CSB soccer’s leadership looks toward MIAC run

The College of St. Benedict soccer team will look to make a MIAC tournament run this season that would clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA championships. The team is led by Steve Kimble, who began his 15th season as head coach this year.

The Bennies opened up the season splitting a pair of contests against nationally ranked (13) University of Wisconsin- La Crosse on Sept. 1 and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Sept. 3.

CSB dropped the first match 1-0 and defeated UWSP 2-1 and received goals from seniors Ella Young and Lana Krautkremer.

“As a team, it was great to be able to put two balls in the net at Stevens Point, leading us to our first win of the season. It was fun to be able to capitalize on our opportunities and execute what we’ve been practicing,” Young said via email.

This past weekend, the Bennies traveled to Wisconsin once again to take on University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. St. Ben’s was down 2-0 early but responded in the second half when senior Erica Golenzer scored in the 54th minute. First-year Chloe Smith knotted the contest up 20 minutes later. But it was the Blugolds that would remain victorious when UWEC took a 3-2 lead at 87:46.

CSB returns six seniors this year. The Bennies will lean on the leadership they have this season as they look to regroup after a loss to St. Catherine’s University (lost in penalty kicks) in the first round of the MIAC tournament.

“Our biggest goal is to come out on top of the MIAC. The past couple of years we have ended our season with some heart breakers. Every single day at practice, we talk about what can set us apart from making it to the playoffs and being at the top of the MIAC. We hold great value in our team culture, work ethic and commitment. As seniors, we are challenged to keep our culture as strong as it has been in the past and find what it takes to become a MIAC championship team,” senior defender Lindsay Mueller said via email.

The team will look to its seniors to bring the Bennies energy throughout the rest of the 2023 soccer campaign. They have received goals from Golenzer, Krautkremer and Young.

The team is excited to build on last year’s success as they have unfinished business.

“I am most excited to continue growing our team culture and strength. I believe our team’s defensive strength, ability to create dangerous scoring opportunities and supportive culture will help us succeed in the regular season and ultimately playoffs. My team and I certainly can’t wait to begin MIAC play,” Young said via email.

The Bennies have a lot of potential with top players returning. Abby Willenbring was named to the 2022 All-Region Team last season.

“Our whole team gets along very well, and we have a great atmosphere at practice. Our sideline energy in games stands out against our opponents,” Willenbring said via email. “We are looking forward to starting conference play and battling for the top spot in the MIAC.”

St. Ben’s will open up the home portion of the schedule when they welcome Hamline to St. Joseph for the conference opener on Sept. 16. The Bennies will then host Wartburg College who is a frontrunner in the American Rivers Conference on Sept. 17.